Chapter Twenty-eight
Ashton took a deep breath and clasped her hands on her desk when a light knock rapped on her door.
“Come in.”
The door opened a fraction and a wary-looking Summer peeked around. “Is now a good time?”
“Yes. Please, have a seat.”
Summer mirrored Ashton’s posture with her hands folded in her lap.
“I appreciate you seeing me on short notice,” Ashton said. “I need some information, and with how close you and Razor are, I thought you’d be the best person to go to.”
Summer grinned. “Considering all she’s done for me, I would do anything to help her. What do you need to know?”
“Can you tell me what happened during the game on Saturday, right up until the umpire got hit? I’ve watched the replay but couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary, so I wanted to ask if you saw something.”
Summer thought for a moment, sporting the same scowl she had when Courtney told them about Razor’s suspension.
Everyone was upset. Some even wanted to cancel practice and hunt Frank Bristol down.
Summer, and ultimately Harper, calmed the team, saying Razor would expect them to prepare for the weekend series against the Pulaski Tech Grizzlies.
In Razor’s honor, they practiced, but it was rough.
“The only thing I noticed was he called a very tight strike zone. I had to pitch over the heart of the plate a lot.”
Ashton made a note, even though there was nothing suspicious about that. Annoying, yes. Assault-worthy, no.
“Anything else?”
Summer bit her lip. “There were a couple of times Razor asked for a timeout, and it looked like he intentionally didn’t grant them.”
Ashton nodded. Again, mild annoyance but not an instigator. Then she remembered something Razor had said.
“Did you happen to notice if he impeded Razor’s throw? The one where he got hit?”
“Why?”
“Razor said he grabbed the strap of her chest guard, and if that’s true, then it was an accident.”
Summer shrugged. “I didn’t notice anything, but I’m also not the best witness. Once I step on the rubber, I have tunnel vision. I don’t see anything but Razor’s glove.”
“Damn. Worth a shot.”
She flipped the page on her notepad, and when she looked up, Summer’s face was contemplative.
“What is it?”
“I think you should talk to Sabrina.”
“Why?”
“After we heard about Razor, she got all worked up. Her cousin, Lola, plays outfield for Morrilton. She’d said she admired Razor for putting up with all the sexual innuendo the umpire dished out throughout the game. Said if it’d been her, she’d smack him upside the head with her bat.”
Ashton made a quick note to call Sabrina as soon as she finished with Summer and get Lola’s phone number.
“Coach Sharpe?” Ashton looked up and saw sadness in Summer’s eyes. “Do you think she did it on purpose?”
Ashton sighed. “If you’re asking if I think Razor is capable, and what you say is true and he did harass her, it would be understandable. But I wasn’t there. I don’t know what really happened. Right now, I’m trying to gather information and reserve judgment until I have the bigger picture.”
Summer nodded sadly. “I understand.”
“However, my personal experience? Razor doesn’t attack people without cause. Even with cause, it’s because a person threatened someone she cares about, not necessarily by doing something to her.”
Summer chuckled. “Emery threatens her brother every time he steps out of line now. Says she has Razor on speed dial and will gladly call her to come beat his ass if he gets too big-brotherly with her.”
“I bet. I hope that answers your question.”
“Yes, it does, and I understand your position. Personally, I don’t think it was intentional.”
Ashton smiled. “I don’t think so either. And hopefully, we can prove it.”
They chatted about possible scenarios and other witnesses Ashton could contact before Summer left to meet Harper for a lunch-plus-study session for her biology class. As soon as she was gone, Ashton got on the phone with Sabrina, who gladly gave her cousin’s contact information.
“Anything to help Razor,” she said.
Once Ashton got ahold of Lola, she had a flood of information.
Lola shared that Frank was a disgusting pig for the things he’d said to Razor and deserved to be charged with harassment.
When they’d finished talking, she gave Ashton the numbers to other players who heard similar comments.
Even Morrilton’s head coach had heard a few things.
Ashton nearly gagged a few times when they repeated what they’d heard coming out of Frank Bristol’s mouth.
An hour before practice was set to start, she took all the information she’d gathered and marched down to Courtney’s office. Even though she was on the phone, she waved Ashton in and motioned for her to close the door.
“I just received the email. Thanks so much.” She hung up the phone and looked at Ashton with an optimism in her eyes that’d been missing recently. “I have news.”
“Me, too,” Ashton exclaimed.
“You first.”
Ashton took her seat and handed the notepad over. “Sabrina’s cousin, Lola, is a player on the Morrilton team. She states that every time she was in the batter’s box, Frank Bristol made a sexually explicit comment to Razor.”
“Really?”
“She put me in touch with some of her teammates, and they all had similar stories. Even their head coach verified it, saying they’d all had some choice words when they returned to the dugout.”
“This is great for Razor’s case,” Courtney said.
“I know,” Ashton stated confidently. “Your turn.”
Courtney clicked her mouse. “Remember when Razor mentioned having an earlier altercation with the guy? I asked campus security if they could check the footage around the field and parking lot from Saturday. This is what they sent me.”
Ashton sat on the edge of Courtney’s desk and watched. The scene was gut-wrenching. When Frank grabbed Razor’s wrist, Ashton gasped. Tears formed as she watched Razor fall to the ground, shaking. When it ended, she and Courtney sat silently, absorbing.
“So, what does this mean?”
Courtney sighed. “If anything, it means Razor has a strong case for self-defense.”
“It’s a start.”
“But is it enough to convince Razor to fight?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? This shows the guy is a piece of shit and harassed her.”
“But it doesn’t prove Razor’s innocent. She’s adamant he grabbed her chest guard. All this does is show she had every right to hit him, not that it was an accident.”
Ashton sighed. “And because of what happened in San Diego, anything short of proving she is totally innocent is too much of a risk in her eyes.”
“Exactly,” Courtney agreed.
Ashton stood and paced back and forth. “This is such bullshit. The only reason Razor filed that complaint against Gary back in San Diego was to protect the first year who was assaulted and too scared to come forward. But now she’s scared of reliving that same nightmare, of taking the blame for accusing an abusive asshole who claims he’s innocent. ”
“Hmm…”
Ashton noticed the neutral, intense expression on Courtney’s face.
“What are you thinking?”
“What if we could get the first year Razor protected to call her?”
For the first time in days, Ashton felt hope. “That could work, but how do we get in touch with her? Razor never revealed her identity.”
Courtney sighed and picked up her phone. “The girl’s name is Haley Davis. She recently reached out to me to inform me that the FBI was investigating Gary, and she was considering testifying against him.”
“Oh my God.” Ashton covered her mouth.
Courtney nodded. “She remembered me from the night of her assault. Razor had brought her to our apartment to try to calm her down. Haley had bruises on her arm, and she was crying hysterically. Razor told me that she’d found Gary trying to rape her and was able to fight him off and get Haley away.
She’d been trying to convince Haley to file charges, but she wouldn’t do it.
She didn’t want to be the only one. Razor decided to press charges on her behalf. ”
“Then Razor became a pariah while Gary went free…”
“And Haley ended up transferring out, afraid Gary would try to take revenge on her. She held that secret for years and recently admitted to me how ashamed she felt for leaving Razor standing alone and taking the brunt of the abuse.”
Ashton closed her eyes. “If Haley is willing to talk to Razor, I believe that will free Razor from this guilt she’s hanging on to.”
“And maybe she’ll be willing to defend herself against Frank Bristol.”
Ashton pulled out her phone and accessed her contacts list.
“Give me Haley’s phone number. We need to move on this. Now.”
* * *
Razor gathered up her catcher’s gear and placed it in the filing box she’d picked up that afternoon.
She placed the lid on top and tapped it a couple times before stowing it away until she had time to take it to Goodwill or Play It Again Sports.
Maybe one of her customers’ kids could use it.
For now, it’d stay in her closet, and the glove would go back on the shelf.
She smiled at her mom’s photo, tilting the neck of her cider bottle in a toast.
“You did good, Mom. I’m the one who screwed up.”
She took a swig of the alcohol as someone knocked on her door. She spilled some on her rug, narrowly missing dribbling down her shirt. She groaned and marched to the door, then swung it open wide. Ashton stood there, phone pressed to her ear.
“Ashton? What’s going on?”
Ashton pushed her way in and walked straight toward the living room, talking into her phone. “Yes, I just arrived and she’s here. Are you ready?”
Ashton smiled at the reply of the person on the other end of the phone. Ashton extended the phone to Razor and said, “It’s for you.”
Confused, Razor grabbed the phone from Ashton’s hand. “Hello?”
“Hi, Razor. It’s Haley.”
The phone nearly dropped to the floor. Her wide eyes focused on Ashton, who continued to smile. She patted Razor’s shoulder and exited down the hall.
“Hey…Haley,” Razor stuttered. “How’s it going?” She felt for the couch and sat on the edge.
“I’m doing well. Better than I expected.” Haley’s voice sounded timid, cautious. “I’m married now. And I have a great job, great friends. I even have a baby on the way.”
“Wow,” Razor exclaimed. “That’s great. I’m…I’m glad what happened didn’t derail your life.”
Haley was silent for a full five seconds. Then, “Actually, for a while, it did. It took a lot of therapy for me to realize what happened wasn’t my fault.”
Razor rubbed her forehead. She felt disheartened. “Haley, I know it’s probably too little too late, but I’m sorry. I’m sorry I pressured you. I’m sorry I went against your wishes. I’m sorry I was the reason for your pain.”
“Razor, what are you talking about? I never blamed you for what happened.”
“You didn’t?”
“No. Honestly, I thought you blamed me.” The timid tone returned.
“Haley, no. You did nothing wrong.”
“And neither did you,” Haley said. “I now see your actions for what they were. A good friend trying to help.”
“Still,” Razor replied, “I should’ve followed your wishes.”
“I will agree with you on that point. But I need you to hear me.” Haley paused, then firmly stated, “You are not at fault for what happened. Gary is the only guilty party. And even though it took a long time for me to get here, I’m going to do my part and make sure he never does it again.”
“You are?”
“I’ve been talking to the FBI about what happened, along with other victims. We’re going to get him, Razor. I promise.”
Razor could hear the fierceness in Haley’s voice. Tears swam in Razor’s vision, and she stifled the sob threatening to escape. “This is the best news I’ve had all week.”
“You’re a fighter, Razor. For everyone. Now, go and fight for yourself.”
Haley disconnected the call, and Razor let the tears fall.
When she looked up, Ashton stood in the hallway and sported a watery smile.
Razor stood up and quickly closed the distance between them and pulled Ashton into a crushing hug.
She sobbed, hard, releasing everything that had been weighing her down for the last five years.
The more she let go, the lighter Razor felt, until finally, when the last tear had fallen, the lingering doubt and guilt floated away.
She pulled away and kissed Ashton’s lips over and over again, feeling the rush of relief through her body.
“Thank you,” she said, punctuating it with a kiss. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” She kissed Ashton’s cheeks, lips, and forehead. Soon they were both laughing at the absurdity of it all.
“I don’t know how to repay you for giving me this gift.”
“I do,” Ashton said and placed a gentle hand on Razor’s cheek. “I want you to fight for you. I want you to fight that asshole, Frank Bristol.”
Razor looked up at the ceiling and sniffed back fresh tears.
“I’m scared, Ashton. Even without my past in San Diego to use against me, it could still go Frank’s way.”
“I know,” Ashton stated. “But this time, you’re not fighting the system by yourself. You have an entire team ready to defend you and do whatever it takes to get you back on that field. And…you have me.”
Ashton choked up on the last bit, and Razor pulled her into another strong hug. It was time to screw up her courage. “Okay. Let’s fight this thing. And I know where we can find the evidence we need.”
“Where?”
“Smithville.”